


Shelter

by Natsumi



Category: Free!
Genre: Boyfriends, Fluff, Haru being kind of sad, M/M, sleepover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-15
Updated: 2013-12-15
Packaged: 2018-01-04 17:45:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1083861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Natsumi/pseuds/Natsumi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haru is having trouble sleeping, Makoto wants to know why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shelter

**Author's Note:**

> Set somewhere between episode 7-9. It's been ages since I last wrote something, I apologize in advance for this, haha (:

Haruka felt tired. He was lying on his bed, trying not to think. Why can’t I just fall asleep already? It was irritating, trying not to think somehow resulted in even more thinking. He closed his eyes, determined not to open them again until the morning. He had spent many night that way already, just laying there, unable to sleep no matter how hard he tried.

It was all Rin’s fault, he was causing this overthinking. Sighing deeply, Haru pulled the blanket up under his chin. His room was pretty chilly, due to the weather outside. 

What if he hadn’t raced Rin all those years ago? If he had refused, none of this mess would have happened in the first place. He wanted to go back. Back to elementary school, without all of this complicated stuff. Back when it was only swimming that mattered, and Rin didn’t hate him. 

He didn’t really know why it bothered him so much. Usually he wouldn’t care about what other people thought of him. Maybe it was the fact that Rin had actually been their friend and he had messed it up that caused it. He hadn’t only messed it up for himself, he felt like he had ruined the other’s friendship with Rin as well. Somehow that made it ten times worse.

Rin had stopped swimming because of him. If someone took swimming away from himself, he would never be able to forgive.

A warm arm snuggled around his waist from behind, pulling him close against an even warmer chest. “I know you’re awake, Haru.” 

Makoto ran his fingers slowly through Haru’s hair, placing a soft kiss on his head. “I can almost hear you thinking. What’s wrong?” He asked softly, in the way that made Haruka’s heart flutter. If any other person had asked him the same question, he wouldn’t have answered, but the brunet’s voice stirred something in him. 

“I don’t know,” he mumbled. “Just tired, I guess.” 

Makoto tucked his arm under Haruka’s head, gently forcing the other male to face him. “Harukaaa,” he complained. Blue eyes met green.

“Don’t go all puppy eyes on me. And don’t call me that.” 

He didn’t really mind, though. “I’m fine really, just tired.” 

“Why aren’t you sleeping then?” 

“Well maybe if you didn’t talk that much I would.” 

Makoto frowned, pulling back a little. “Oh… I’m sorry Haru. I’ll be quiet.” 

He rolled his eyes and pulled Makoto back closer, nuzzling against his chest in the way he only did when the two of them were alone. “I’m just kidding, stupid.” 

He could feel the brunet’s quiet laugh as vibrations through his chest. “Sorry, didn’t realise.” Haruka wished he would stop apologizing so much. He hadn’t done anything wrong.

They lay close like that without saying anything for a while. Haruka didn’t feel like they needed to either. It was just them. They didn’t need any words. The warmth enveloping him was all he needed.

He could hear Makoto’s heart if he lay close enough to his chest. It was something he had developed a habit of doing. He couldn’t really remember when it had started, probably around the age when it was still acceptable for them to lay in the same bed during sleepovers. They had never really stopped, though. 

Makoto’s parents had occasionally caught them still doing it, but they had never said anything about it. It was one of the things his own parents would never manage to do, and that he really appreciated about Makoto’s. 

He closed his eyes again, listening to Makoto’s heart. It was beating steadily, and it brought Haru a sense of comfort he hadn’t even realised he needed until now. 

“Haru,” the other male said eventually. “I know it’s been a little difficult for you lately. You know, Rin coming back…” 

It didn’t really surprise him anymore how well Makoto was able to read him, and he had actually grown very fond of his best friend’s ability. He didn’t like expressing his feelings, wasn’t very good at it either, but with Makoto he had never needed to. 

“Yeah,” he mumbled quietly, knowing he would be heard anyway.

“I just want you to know that I’m here for you when you need me, and when you don’t, for that matter. Always, you know that, right?” 

He didn’t reply right away, instead the raven placed his arm around his lover, getting as close as possible. “I know.” He could feel makoto smile into his hair, his hands moving to rub the smaller person’s back gently. It was calming, and exactly what he loved the most about Makoto. He made him feel safe and warm.

“Do you think Rin will be okay? He doesn’t seem okay.” Makoto shifted beside him. “I hope so. It is weird seeing him like that, not at all like he used to be.” 

“I keep thinking about what would have happened if I hadn’t raced him that day.” Haru had thought a lot about that lately. What if he had refused? Rin would probably had gotten mad at him, but only temporary. Or he could have just let him win. God, he was so stupid back then. Rin had always been very competitive, he knew that!

“Hey, please don’t think like that,” Makoto said with worry in his voice as he felt Haruka tense up. “It wasn’t your fault, you couldn’t have known. Haru, please look at me.” Haruka lifted his head slightly. “You couldn’t have known he would react like that,” the brunet said again, looking truthfully into blue eyes. Haruka couldn’t look away, the gaze was almost too much. 

“I love you,” he heard himself say. Makoto’ eyes became softer and a smile formed in his face. The same smile that Haruka cherished because he was the only person who could cause it. 

He pressed his lips gently against the other’s, before pulling back, blushing. Makoto only chuckled at that. “I love you too, Haru. But I mean it, please don’t think more about Rin right now. Things will work out eventually, I’m sure of it.”

Haruka nodded, feeling more reassured. It probably would, the brunet was often right about those kind of things. He yawned softly, rubbing his eyes before burying his head under Makoto’s chin again. Warm, strong arms enveloped him.

“Good night, Haru.” A kiss was placed on his head. “Sleep tight.”


End file.
